


Interrogation

by EmeryldLuk



Series: Puck [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe, Corruption, Gen, Mage, Non-Binary Main Character, Pointedly Ambigous Gender, Sign Language, hypnotic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:00:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27056080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeryldLuk/pseuds/EmeryldLuk
Summary: Puck, a mage of Fairy Tail, is working a gig to dig up evidence of one man's corruption. For someone of Puck's magical skills, this kind of job is far too easy.
Series: Puck [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1974676
Kudos: 3





	Interrogation

Fingernails drummed on the polished wood table. Tapping away at the circle of silence that separated them from the rest of the buzzing guild room. Friends gossiped about the latest news. Couples smiled and flirted over mugs of ale. Rivals argued over challenging jobs. Teammates discussed how to approach a problem.

Puck glanced down at the ale they hadn’t touched. The high vaulted ceiling and chandeliers reflected in the murky liquid. They wondered how much longer they’d have to wait.

The clock chimed the late hour and a door in the back opened. Three walked out, spiritedly discussing some matter. Puck stood up, moving away from the table.

Puck gauged the fine tailored suits the middle aged men wore and chose to flourish a bow of reasonable depths to them. The eyes lowered slightly, they said, “My Lord Gregorovitch, The council sent me to fetch you.”

The effect was minimal. Puck’s words had only been a simple statement, not enough to be overtly obvious. Their focus slipped slightly, accepting Puck to be who they claimed.

“Is it urgent?” Gregorovitch, infamous snake of a merchant and corrupt lobbyist, touched his collar to accent the merchant guild pin.

“Mildly,” Puck responded, “but I was not urged to rush you.”

“Did they tell you why they wanted me?” he inquired.

“No,” was all Puck said. It was enough. Gregorovitch nodded, the slight curve of his lips turning smug.

He ordered, “Wait for me at the main door. I need my coat.”

They bowed and retreated, leaving a tip for the bartender on my way back to the door. Puck ran their painted nails down their arms, tapping a couple of times on the way down.

Gregorovitch arrived, an air of authority and greed about him like a cloak.

“Lead on,” he said as if Puck was no more than a rat under his boot. Puck let themselves smile and look Gregorovitch in the eye. 

“Follow me.”

Gregorovitch’s eyes glazed over for a moment. Then he looked normal, but Puck could feel the magic on the man, granting complete control.

Gregorovitch followed Puck without question, inquiry or divergence. He even ignored the greetings of the few locals that reckoned to say hello. Puck led the man back to the room they were renting and set a chair in the middle of the wall.

“Sit,” Puck ordered. As Gregorovitch sat, folding his hands in his laps, Puck shut the door and took out a holo-recorder; a magic device that would record an image of everything about to happen. They set it up on a table in front of Gregorovitch and checked the placement before turning it on.

Puck leaned back and said, “You will answer all of the following questions with complete honesty and truthfulness.”

“Of course,” Gregorovitch agreed, his eyes glazing over again.

“How long have you known each of the Town Councilors?” Puck began. They barely even listened to the answers. They only needed to record the confession.

“How often do you accept their bribes and how much do they give?”

“Where do you keep the money?”

“What is your motive behind the recent take-overs of the Liones and Riu merchant guilds?”

“Did you have any involvement with the deaths of the owners of DayLily Cafe?”

“What are the names of your dark guild contacts?”

“How much did you pay the assassin hired to kill the Mayor of Veronis?”

There was an entire list of course. Puck had been given one upon accepting the mission. It had only listed the suspected crimes. Puck knew better than to stick to the list and dug up every little detail they could think of, which turned out to be a lot. The session dragged out, causing Puck to need to redo their “Command” spell more than once as it faded. They themselves were starting to feel the strain of using it as much as they were by the time Puck finished.

Puck picked up their glass of water and drank a mouthful. Gregorovitch had a look on his face of shock and resolve, like he knew exactly what Puck was going to do and was ready.

Turning off the recorder, Puck tucked it into their sash and began packing their bag. This was the room they had borrowed for the days they spent investigating.

Gregorovitch slowly came to, though still in a haze. He looked around with slight confusion. He saw Puck folding dirty clothes into a duffel and slumped in his seat.

“What now?” he asked, much like a limp balloon now that his ego had been popped.

“You will remain in this room. Dinner will be brought to you. You will not leave this room until someone comes for you.”

“Okay.”

Puck finished packing and slung the duffel over their shoulder. They took a second to check their hair in the mirror and then walked out.

At the front desk, Puck set the room key on the counter. The clerk looked up, noting the key before looking up to Puck’s eyes.

“Dinner in an hour. Room 5.”

The clerk nodded quietly. They seemed about to raise questions about the room and Puck’s bag.

Puck added, “The room is paid for. No need to worry about it.”

The clerk nodded and scooped up the key. “Dinner for room 5 in an hour. Have a good night.”

Puck strode out into the sunset. They walked, enjoying the way the sky glowed in soft reds under the light cloud cover.

Their next destination was the local Sheriff’s Office. A small space with a couple of sturdy cells, but well made and kept. The Sheriff stood, barely hiding his desperation and hope behind a stubborn glare.

“Where is he? You said you’d get us Gregorovitch.”

Puck placed the recorder on the Sheriff’s desk and hit play. A hologram appeared of Gregorovitch sitting in the chair.

“-and I ordered it to be done by sunset the next day in order for the assassin to be paid-”

Puck paused the play back. The Sheriff stared in awe. They took out pen and paper, writing instructions. 

_ This will get you your warrant, Sheriff. When you do, you can find Gregorovitch in the Magnus Inn, room 5. _

Puck tore the paper out of the pad, handing it over to be read. The Sheriff nodded.

“I’m sure it will. Thank you. And as promised.” He opened a drawer and took out a thick envelope. Puck took it and quickly counted the bills.

_ Thank you _ , Puck signed though the Sheriff had no clue what the hand motion meant. Puck slid the envelope into their sash and bowed to show gratitude. The Sheriff bowed in return, amused by the apparently mute mage.


End file.
